Formula 1

McLaren Shakedown of MCL60 F1 Car in Bahrain

Published

1 month ago

21/02/2023

During a shakedown session in Bahrain, McLaren has debuted its MCL60 F1 car on the track for the first time, becoming the 10th team to do so before the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Teams are allowed two runs per year outside of official sessions, with a maximum of 100km and the use of non-race-spec tires. Despite launching the MCL60 on February 13, McLaren postponed its shakedown until arriving in Bahrain for testing.

Finishing fifth in the Championship standings and being outpaced by Alpine in the 2022 season, McLaren acknowledged at the car launch that they were not entirely satisfied with the launch vehicle but are optimistic that upgrades during the season will improve their speed.

According to team principal Andrea Stella, there were certain areas that they discovered later in the development process that showed promising results, but they may not be able to capitalize on them immediately, hence they expect to introduce upgrades after the beginning of the season.

Stella stresses the importance of being realistic about their targets, even though they are content with the development of the car in most areas.

The car will participate in the pre-season testing from Thursday to Saturday at the Bahrain International Circuit, where Lando Norris will partner with rookie Oscar Piastri for the upcoming season.

After conducting a filming day, with Lando Norris and new teammate Oscar Piastri sharing the 100 kilometers of running permitted by FIA regulations.

The team launched their MCL60 car last week at their technology centre, and the shakedown run was shared on social media.

McLaren’s new team principal, Andrea Stella, confirmed that they are already planning significant updates to the car after the start of the season to address identified opportunities, primarily related to aerodynamics, interaction with tires, and other areas of the car.

Stella is optimistic that they will take a significant step forward in the season.